Vienna: Austrian poacher Alois Huber, who killed three police and a paramedic, has died after setting his house on fire during a police siege of the property.

Commandos from Austria’s elite "Cobra" police force launched a raid to root out the 55-year-old gunman late on Tuesday in an operation which lasted five hours and ended with the discovery of his burnt body at his home 90 kilometres west of Vienna.

Police commandos reportedly attempted to stop Huber in his car on Monday after a tip-off that he was hunting illegally.

Austrian soldiers in armored vehicles arrive near the villages of Grosspriel and Kollapriel where a man had barricaded himself inside a farm building after he allegedly killed three police officers and a paramedic. Photo: AP

He drove through a road block and opened fire, shooting a police commandos in the neck. The officer died two hours later in hospital.

Advertisement

While the commando was still receiving medical attention, Huber opened fire again, killing an ambulance driver and leaving a second policeman injured.

He then ran for several kilometres before firing at two other police officers, killing one on the spot and taking the other hostage.

Police stand guard near the villages of Grosspriel and Kollapriel some 90 kms west of Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday, during the farm building siege. Photo: AP

He stole their police car and drove, with his captive, some 60 kilometres to his farmhouse.

Police said the body of the officer taken hostage had been found in the police car in a shed at the farm.

Huber was well known locally for giving police and licensed hunters the run-around, often leaving the heads of dead animals on roads.

He was said to have had his hunting licence revoked several years ago.